Petunia-calibrachoa hybrid plant named &#39;SAKPXC011&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Petunia - Calibrachoa  hybrid plant particularly distinguished by having a purplish-rose flower color and semi-creeping growth habit is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Petunia-Calibrachoa intergeneric hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘SAKPXC011’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises of a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia-Calibrachoa (Petchoa) referred to by the variety name ‘SAKPXC011’. Petunia-Calibrachoa variety ‘SAKPXC011’ originated from a hybridization in Kakegawa, Japan in December 2006. The male parent was a commercial patented hybrid Calibrachoa line named ‘SAKCAL093’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,490), which has a burgundy flower color and a creeping plant habit. The female parent was a proprietary hybrid Petunia line named ‘AM6-106A’ (unpatented), which had a rose flower color and a mounding plant habit.

In December 2006, an F₁ generation from the initial hybridization was grown and approximately 50 seeds were obtained. In February 2007, 120 seeds were sown and the plants were cultivated in a greenhouse and only one plant survived and bloomed. Segregation in the F₁ generation resulted in the one plant having a purplish-rose flower color and a semi-creeping plant growth habit. In May 2007, the plant was selected that exhibited the purplish-rose flower color and semi-creeping plant growth habit and gave it the experimental name ‘K2008-J-224’.

In August 2007, line ‘K2008-J-224’ was vegetatively propagated to produce rooted cuttings and plants of the selection were cultivated and evaluated in an open field. In December 2007, line ‘K2008-J-224’ was observed to have its distinct characteristics remain stable. In February 2008, line ‘K2008-J-224’ was propagated again and plants were cultivated. In May 2008, the distinct characteristics of line ‘K2008-J-224’ were confirmed to be fixed and stable. Line ‘K2008-J-224’ was later named ‘SAKPXC011’ and was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative propagation.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

1. Purplish-rose flower color; and

2. Semi-creeping growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Petunia-Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a three-month-old plant grown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the spring of 2012. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKPXC011’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on three-month-old plants grown under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the summer of 2012. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition.

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.         -   Botanical.—Petunia-Calibrachoa intergeneric hybrid.         -   Common.—Petchoa.         -   Designation.—‘SAKPXC011’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary hybrid petunia plant line             ‘AM6-106A’ (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Proprietary hybrid calibrachoa plant line             ‘SAKCAL093’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,490). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—4 weeks.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0             to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The             vegetative cuttings were propagated in four weeks. The base             of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a 1:9             solution of Dip ‘N Grow (1 solution: 9 water) root inducing             solution immediately prior to sticking into the cell trays.             Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays having 98 cells,             and containing a moistened peat moss-based growing medium.             For the first week, the cuttings were misted with water from             overhead for 20 seconds, one time per hour. For the second             week, the cuttings were misted one time every 2 hours for 10             seconds. After that time, the cuttings were misted             occasionally until sufficient roots were formed. Rooted             cuttings were transplanted and grown in 20 cm diameter             plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in Salinas,             Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing medium.             Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus             and 20% potassium was applied once a day or every other day             by overhead irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with a dry,             slow release fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10%             phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical average air             temperature was 24° C.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—8 to 10 weeks. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Semi-creeping.         -   Life cycle.—Tender perennial.         -   Form.—Decumbant, branching.         -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—14.0 cm.         -   Spread.—48.0 cm. -   Stems:     -   -   General.—Circular in cross-section.         -   Stem length.—1.0 cm from soil line to first node, 10.0 cm to             11.0 cm total.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Internode length.—2.0 cm to 2.5 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green).         -   Pubescence.—Heavy Color: RHS N155A (White).         -   Anthocyanin color.—Slight, only on peduncle, color is RHS             N187A (Greyed-Purple). -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull.         -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Light.         -   Surface pubescence color (both surfaces).—RHS N155A (White).         -   Length.—5.0 cm.         -   Width.—2.0 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 147A (Yellow-Green) Lower surface:             RHS 147B (Yellow-Green).         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flowers:     -   -   Total number of flowers.—Approximately 50.         -   Flowering habit.—Indeterminate.         -   Flower type.—Solitary.         -   Flowering requirements.—Will flower so long as day length is             greater than 12 hours and temperature exceeds 13° C.         -   Duration of flowers.—5 days.         -   Shape.—The flowers are funnel shaped with five fissures and             a shallow, yet slight, indentation of the petal tip at the             midvein.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flower buds:     -   -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.         -   Length.—3.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—2.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Color.—RHS 72A (Red-Purple). -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—2.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green).         -   Texture.—Dull, light pubescence, pubescence color is RHS             N155A (White). -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower depth.—1.0 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—3.0 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—0.8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—5.0 cm. -   Calyx:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 sepals, fused below the middle.         -   Sepals.—Shape: Elliptical Apex: Obtuse Margin: Entire             Length: 1.5 cm Diameter: 0.25 cm Color: Upper surface: RHS             137A (Green) Lower surface: RHS 137A (Green). -   Corolla:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 petals, fused.         -   Diameter.—4.0 cm.         -   Petal.—Apex: Truncate Margin: Entire Base: Fused Pubescence:             Glabrous Lobe length: 2.0 cm Lobe width: 2.5 cm Color: Lobe             color: Upper surface: Closest to but darker and brighter             than RHS N74A (Red-Purple) Lower surface: RHS 72A             (Red-Purple).         -   Corolla tube color.—Inner: RHS 13A (Yellow) with RHS 187A             (Greyed-Purple) Outer: RHS 1C (Green-Yellow) with RHS N144D             (Yellow-Green) veins. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen number.—5, free.         -   Stamen color.—Anther color: RHS 13C (Yellow) Filament color:             RHS 2C (Yellow).         -   Pollen color.—RHS 11A (Yellow).         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Ovary.—Superior.         -   Placenta arrangement.—Central.         -   Pistil number.—1 per inflorescence.         -   Pistil length.—1.2 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green).         -   Style length.—1.0 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 144C (Yellow-Green).         -   Seed production.—Absent. -   Disease and insect resistance: Excellent resistance to rain, heat     and drought. Temperature below 10° C. is not optimal. Plants are     susceptible to Botrytis, powdery mildew, various stem and root rots,     and certain viruses, like Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Impatiens     Necrotic Spotted Virus. Plants can be infested with aphids,     leafminer, whitefly and various Lepitopdera.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKPXC011’ is a new and unique variety of intergeneric Petunia Calibrachoa owing to its purplish-rose flower color and semi-creeping plant growth habit. ‘SAKPXC011’ is distinguished from its parents mainly by flower color and plant growth habit as shown in Table 1 below):

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Male Parent Female Parent Characteristic ‘SAKPXC011’ ‘SAKCAL093’ ‘AM6-106A’ Flower color Purplish-rose Burgundy Rose Plant growth Semi-creeping Creeping Mounding habit

‘SAKPXC011’ is a new and unique variety of intergeneric Petunia-Calibrachoa owing to its purplish-rose flower color and semi-creeping plant growth habit. ‘SAKPXC011’ is most similar to the commercial Petunia-Calibrachoa variety ‘Kakegawa S89’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,130), commercially known as SuperCal® ‘Neon Rose’; however there are differences in the flower color as described in the table below (color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 4th edition):

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKPXC011’ ‘Kakegawa S89’ Petal color, Closest to but darker and RHS N66A (Red-Purple) with upper surface brighter than RHS N74A RHS 64A (Red-Purple) veins (Red-Purple) Petal color, RHS 72A (Red-Purple) RHS N66C (Red-Purple) with lower surface RHS 142A (Green) veins Plant growth Semi-creeping Mounding habit 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid plant as shown and described herein. 